Legacies || Hermitcraft

Chapter III - The Miner

Timeline: September 1981

Word Count ~ 2.5k

TW: Injury, illness, death

'September 19th, 1981...'

"You coming, new guy?" Called one of the miners, his voice echoing through the cave's entrance. TFC put away the journal he'd been writing in, glancing over his shoulder and watching as a few pebbles were shaken loose from the ceiling. Beyond the cave's entrance, he could see the bright golden light illuminating beautiful trees and their fiery red leaves. He'd need to draw a few of them once work was over for the day.

TFC grabbed his pickaxe, the one that had served him well for many years and would serve him well in the years to come, and followed the others down the dark and twisted mineshafts. Wooden support beams far older than him creaked ominously under the weight of the mountains, and he couldn't help but question their stability. "Do you guys know how old these things are?" He asked, running his hand along one of the beams. A thick layer of dust and grime came off onto his hand, and he recoiled in disgust.

One of the other miners laughed, more mocking than anything. "Aww, afraid of a little dirt, new guy?"

"No." TFC replied calmly. "If anything, I'm afraid this whole shaft could collapse in a few years' time."

"And?" Another shrugged. "You know the deal, they'll just relocate us. I heard this system goes down for miles, we aren't running outta work anytime soon."

Typical, TFC thought to himself. Just another group of idiots who held their paychecks in higher regard than their own lives. He was starting to wish he hadn't been moved to this sector of the mountain, at least the guys back at his old post kept their mouths shut. However, the last comment about the cave system intrigued him. "Miles?" He repeated.

"Yep." The first man confirmed. "That's why they like to keep us in larger groups. They say if a man gets lost down here... he's gone for good."

TFC shuddered at the thought. Although he had plenty of experience with these mines by now, having been in the job for a little over 5 years, the thought of spending the rest of his life down here? Sure, he'd be able to survive on water pockets, glow berries and the occasional fish that wandered too deep, but he'd hate every second of it.

As he thought extensively about how a person would live in a cave, TFC happened to miss a lewd joke about their boss's wife. And it must have been pretty offensive, because within seconds the rest of the group were howling with laughter, and the ceiling began to shake once again. TFC glanced at the beams, which were creaking even more under the strain. "Keep it down, would you?"

The group glanced at him for a moment, barely holding back another snicker. "Scared are you?" One jeered, earning more laughter from the others. Laugher that seemed to shake the walls themselves. "Want us to hold your hand and bring you out again?"

"I'm being serious. The beams are insecure, the stone is already weak from excessive excavations, and one loud noise could send this place crashing to the ground. Cut it out." He snapped, cautiously watching the walls and ceiling in case they cracked any further.

"OOOOOOOHHH, I'M SOOO SCARED!" Another cackled, his voice seemingly shaking the entire cave. TFC started to back up, the wooden beams beginning to break apart. But the others didn't notice, they didn't care, too caught up in their own idiocy to notice their impending doom.

It all happened in a matter of seconds. The walls trembled and cracked, the beams snapped, and it was only then that the miners realised their fatal mistake. Eyes wide with pure horror, the miners began to run for the exit in hopes of escaping, chasing the golden light outside and unknowingly worsening the situation.